UFC Cut Props at BETDSI – Will Nick Diaz Get Cut?

Nick Diaz fights for the UFC welterweight title this weekend. Could he be cut after that?

UFC President Dana White cut more than a dozen fighters recently and he stated that there could be nearly 100 more contracts cut. Of the roughly 500 contracts the UFC has, that means that up to 20 percent of the fighters may be at risk and gone by the end of the year. BETDSI Sportsbook is taking prop bets on who will be cut or not, based on performance. The first odds may seem like a no brainer, after all Nick Diaz is in the title match and is one of the UFC’s top draws. He is safe, right? Here are the odds:

Why is Nick Diaz so popular? The main reason is probably because, win or lose, he gives his all in his fights and they are all compelling.

Another reason he is popular is his ‘anti-hero’ personality. He smokes pot, skips press conferences, stands up for his teammates, gets into post fight fights and a slew of other behaviors that get most people in trouble. The UFC has worked with Diaz, only issuing token punishment and letting a lot slide. The lenience only adds to his lore and popularity.

So he is popular and can fight. He could conceivably be the UFC welterweight champion after Saturday night! So why would the UFC ever consider cutting him?

The question is: Is Diaz really a rogue outlaw that plays by his own rules, is he a dumb kid (like St Pierre thinks) who is confused about a lot of things or is he a carefully contrived media package all his own?

It is a relevant question, because a Diaz who is either of the first two choices above is capable of behavior that could get him cut no matter what.

Diaz has been very controlled this week leading up to the fight, and he has done a good job of staying cool and letting his talk get under St Pierre’s skin. With 24 hours before the fight, should Diaz no show any of his fighter obligations and cause the fight to be at risk, he could be cut. An example of this would be no showing the drug tests, or being caught somehow tampering with the samples.

Another reason he could be cut is a failed drug test after the fight. Hey, he makes no secret of the fact that he likes his weed, and he has already failed twice. Yet another failed test, this time in a critical championship fight, the UFC would be obliged to come down hard.

Diaz could also pull a bonehead move, like punching someone in the ring after the decision is announced. Diaz will have a lot of pent up emotions looking to get free, and if he loses much of that could be negative. He has gotten into in ring altercations post fight before (remember Jason Miller?).

The books wont even put up odds like this on St Pierre, the UFC would never cut him. At this point in his career Diaz should be just about untouchable as well, he is that good. But he is not untouchable, based on his own past behavior, Diaz probably likes it that way.

About Miguel

MMA matchmaker since 1997. No one besides Joe Silva has made more fights than me.